Harry Potter and the Land of Neverland
by cheeseboi
Summary: D/H. R/Hr. AU. Peter Pan-verse. Draco, Hermione and Neville follow the adventures of a boy from Neverland called Harry Potter. Eventual SLASH.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: DMHP. Peter Pan-verse. Draco, Hermione and Neville believe in a boy called Harry Potter from a land called Neverland. Draco is determined to become friends with Harry Potter and show his parents that he exists.

Category: AU, fantasy, based on Peter Pan

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter characters or the Peter Pan story.

Warnings: Eventual slash.

* * *

Draco Malfoy often woke up to eyes of green that shone like sweet morning dew drops rolling down rosy lips. These eyes would be illuminated by the sparkling light of a thousand pepper stars. Then Draco would blink his own sleepy grey eyes and the warmth of the green would fade to the cold of midnight's breeze. Sometimes he wished for the warmth to return and cover his cool body. And sometimes he would drift back into a dream full of fairies and soft grass that caressed his tired face.

Mrs. Malfoy would sweep gracefully in the morning light and quietly close the open window. She would gently rouse her three children away from their dreams and into a new day. Often she told Draco to remember to close the window before sleep to avoid morning sniffles that he had so often. Hermione would be put in charge of reminding him.

"But I'm not the one who opens the window," Draco would argue and his mother would only smile, "It opens itself." Hermione, being so admirable towards their mother, would smile too and share a little giggle with her. The two were both beauties of time save that Hermione did not possess their mother's secret power to demand attention and love from all those around her.

Mrs. Malfoy was a lovely and respected woman. She had a mind that cared for all but was also able to ask for dignity and pride when faced with difficult situations. Her appearance was romantic and so were her actions and ideas. She was like a swan that was never ugly and always so beautiful. Her eyes could melt the hardest of men's heart and so jealously claim them. Her lips were deliciously delicate and sweet, mocking you with a perfect kiss in the right-hand corner that no one would ever have. Not even his own Father could ever be given such a precious gift.

Draco was proud of his mother and greedily took her attention when it was given to him. So when little clumsy Neville was born with plump pink cheeks and a thumb-sucking habit, Draco was most jealous. He roleplayed the birth of Mrs. Malfoy's children and did an amazingly accurate impression of his father. He would hold his head high and pronounce ever so calm with only an ounce of anticipation and excitement, "I am happy to inform you, Mrs. Malfoy, that you are now a mother." He would then hand Hermione one of her play baby dolls and she would coo at her and dance with her.

Then Draco would be born and he would carefully hand Hermione a baby wrapped in sky blue and confetti due to the fact that he was the first birth of a male. Neville would pop out his little thumb and ask quietly to be born next and Draco would brutally say that no one wanted him anymore.

Neville nearly cried. "Nobody wants me," he said and of course Mrs. Malfoy would walk in with a loving flourish and hold the crying child.

"I do," she said, "I do want a third child."

"Boy or girl?" asked Draco, his lips up in a taunting smirk.

"Boy."

Then Neville would throw his arms around his mother's soft neck and sob into her white evening gown that Hermione loved her in so much. Draco would roll his eyes and Mrs. Malfoy would then lead a sniffling Neville to the piano.

Neville loved it when Mrs. Malfoy played the piano. He would sit at the foot of it, with his thumb in his mouth again and his teddy, Trevor, snug in the crook of his left arm. Sometimes Draco would join his younger brother in listening to the music and feeling the hum of the vibrations against the old piano. Hermione would then sit on the couch beside them, flipping through books with eyes that read every page within three seconds. At these times, Mr. Malfoy would grow quiet and talk nothing about his stocks and his shares and whether they were increasing or decreasing and when his next one should be placed. It was a quiet time that both Mr. And Mrs. Malfoy would miss and the three siblings would forget.

"Hermione is growing up into a fine and smart young lady of fifteen, isn't she, Narcissa?" Mr. Malfoy inspected after a wonderful piece of Prelude by Chopin. Mrs. Malfoy sat beside her daughter and smoothed her curly hair.

"Yes, I quite think so too," Mrs. Malfoy agreed. Hermione blushed and Draco grunted in annoyance while Neville sauntered off to sit in his mother's lap. "Aunt Bella would be as much surprise as me to see how much the three of you have grown."

"I never want to grow up," Draco said with so much disgust that his Father raised an eyebrow. Mr. Malfoy was a man of smarts and knew more than he should. He boasted of his knowledge and the fact that his wife not only loved him but also respected him. He looked like an aristocrat with his blonde hair that shone against all light and that Draco inherited. It would make any woman respect him.

"All children grow up, Draco," Mr. Malfoy said, "And you will grow up into a gentleman of pride and knowledge. I do hope your school marks will pick up. I would have thought that you'd be ashamed that a girl of a crazed father beat you in every exam. He writes for the Quibbler News. That should be shameful enough."

Draco huffed but before he could retort, his mother smiled and cut in cleanly, "Aunt Bella should be arriving tomorrow morning. I think it best that the little ones get their rest and prepare for Bella's arrival."

So they said goodnight to their Father and Draco almost wanted to just walk away, but he reluctantly said a curt goodnight and evening before stalking furiously into bed. Of course, before snuggling warmly in his covets, Dobby, the Malfoy's dog and maid, expertly dragged Draco into the washroom to get brushed and cleaned.

As most households, nurses were a service to the owners and Mr. Malfoy, wanting to be like his neighbours, acquired a nurse. They were not of great wealth or poor wealth, but not enough wealth to obtain a full service nurse, so the presence of Dobby was all that could do. Besides, Mrs. Malfoy was able to coax her husband into keeping the abandoned Newfoundland dog that attended to the Malfoy children as if they were his own puppies. He was both a nurse and a watch dog at the same time, making sure that Neville always found Trevor, that Hermione was restrained from her books once in a while, and Draco was kept out of trouble at all times. He followed them to school and waited patiently during school before walking them home. Dobby made sure Neville never walked across the street when he wasn't suppose to and Draco never secretly brought his slingshot anywhere. Hermione was particularly fond of Dobby and spoke to her as if he was a human and not merely a dog-nurse. Mr. Malfoy disapproved of this because he sensed that Dobby never liked him in the first place but the children loved Dobby, so he let it be.

Draco settled in his covers while Dobby trotted off into his doghouse in the corner of the room. Hermione was conversing with their mother while Neville patiently waited on the edge of his own bed, his chubby legs swinging and thumb permanently glued to his wet mouth.

Mrs. Malfoy tucked Neville in and kissed his forehead nicely. She then went to Draco and sat beside his laying form, dipping the mattress ever so slightly. She smoothed the wrinkles off of Draco's forehead, smothering him with her warm kiss that melted his fiery heart to a small comforting flame.

Mrs. Malfoy went to the window and pressed it down, making sure it was shut. Draco watched her as she bent down to pick up something and a puzzling look dawned on her face.

"How did these get here?" she asked to herself, fingering green leaves that Draco had never seen before.

"I do believe it is Harry again!" Hermione said, sitting up.

"Whatever do you mean, love?"

"He is a rather untidy person, isn't he?" she said, "He always has skeleton leaves stuck in his hair. He must come from far away because those leaves don't grow here in England."

"Harry?" Draco asked, now out of bed and at his mother's side examining the strange leaves. "Who's Harry?"

Draco suddenly had a vision of clear green eyes surrounded by glistening sparkles and a warm glow. He remembered clearly and saw dark ruffled hair flowing in all directions.

Hermione explained in quite a matter-of-fact way that she thought Harry sometimes came to their room at night and sat on the floor and played with Neville's toys. She said that Harry was always very fascinated as if he had never seen toys before. Unfortunately, Hermione only ever saw Harry once or twice before promptly drifting back to sleep, too tired to inspect more.

"I think he comes in by the window," she said.

"Dear, it is three floors up," Mrs. Malfoy stated.

"Harry can fly," said Neville suddenly before popping his thumb back in his mouth. Mrs. Malfoy asked how he knew but Neville only shrugged, saying that he didn't know how he knew, he just knew.

"Were not the leaves at the foot of the window, mother?" asked Hermione.

It was true and as Mrs. Malfoy looked down out the window, seeing the sheer drop of thirty feet to the ground with no ledges to climb.

Surely her children were only dreaming.

But neither Hermione or Neville were dreaming as that night Draco saw the window open and a dark figure enter along with a fist sized ball of shimmering light. And Draco knew he could not be dreaming if he was awake. And just before he drifted off, he saw the green eyes and felt good enough to sleep well.

* * *

A/N: I was watching Peter Pan on television and throughout the whole movie, all I could think of was what if Peter Pan was set with HP characters instead? And it was slash? So I set on planning and plotting and found everything to be quite fun to think up. I'm really excited about this story and I know exactly where it's going because... well it's already been written. Of course, I guarantee huge differences. I was never quite fond of Peter Pan myself when I read it. But I just love the idea of Neverland and adventure packed with Harry Potter so much.

I found it quite difficult to set the ages of the three children. But Hermione is fifteen, Draco is fourteen and Neville is nine. Yes, Hermione and Draco are quite old... but you see, this is set in the olden days.. and according to my mind, the olden days... I think everyone is much more well-behaved. Bear with me. If they were older, I don't think they'd sleep together. And I don't feel like Draco and Harry's relationhip wouldn't be as good if they were only 12.

-Cheeseboi


	2. Chapter 2

Draco woke up from dreams of supple green grass and pixie dust to the cold gust of morning wind and mother's worried stance. Mrs. Malfoy was at the foot of the window with her arms crossed and her trimmed eyebrows furrowed.

Draco watched her for a moment and thought she looked weary and old since the last he'd seen her. It was at these moments that Draco grew sad and afraid of growing up.

"Good morning, mother," Draco said. Mrs. Malfoy turned around and smiled her sweet smile with the right-hand kiss.

"Good morning, love."

"I saw Harry open that window," Draco jumped off the bed. "I told you, mother, it was never me. He opens it every night. And he bought something with him."

Mrs. Malfoy's smile faded into a frown.

"Her name is Ginny," Hermione said, not looking up from her book. She was already up and early, digging her face into a new book. It was a both a great and bad thing that Hermione read so much. "She's some sort of fairy."

Draco frowned too. "How come Harry talks to you and not me?" He jumped atop of Hermione's bed and sprawled himself over it. "You're a girl, he should be talking to me."

"You were asleep," she said while flipping the crisp page. "And this is the first time I've actually spoken with Harry. And just because I'm a girl doesn't mean he can't talk to me."

"I didn't say he couldn't, just said he shouldn't," Draco said, "Who would want to get to know a stuck up know-it-all like you?" He snickered and ran off before Hermione could throw her precious book at Draco. Mrs. Malfoy, all the while was staring at the window with confusion again.

Certainly Hermione and Draco were playing pretend.

But as Mrs. Malfoy thought, they were much to old to be playing pretend at such a serious level. Hermione was fifteen and due to be sixteen in just three months and Draco was fourteen, already growing to great heights. The two went to Neville and tickled him awake and Mrs. Malfoy noticed that Draco was almost taller than Hermione.

Hermione was always known for her quest for truth and knowledge. She never settled for an unexplained mystery and acted determinedly to solve them. To see her making up boys that flew in the middle of night through windows with fairies, was very out of character. Mrs. Malfoy felt an aching familiarity in her heart and remembered.

Although Hermione did have a desire for magic and a good story that would carry her away to a world where she could explore. Mrs. Malfoy convinced herself that Hermione was going through a phase to adulthood, clinging onto childish thoughts. Her boys' imaginations were probably fuelled by their older sister's certainty.

Breakfast was served with eggs and fresh milk. They set aside a serving for Aunt Bella in case she came back hungry and without her own breakfast. Mr. Malfoy left early, quick to finish his breakfast to rush to the train station and drive Aunt Bella home.

"He was quite shy," said Hermione, allowing Draco to steal some of her egg.

"Who was, my dear?"

"Harry Potter, of course, mother,"

"Maybe he was scared of you and your girly ways," Draco laughed and Hermione promptly took back her plate of food to offer to Neville. He refused and drank his milk, spilling some on Trevor.

"You are so immature!" Hermione cried, "I do not understand why Pansy fancies you."

"Well, she has taste," Draco smirked, "even if she doesn't have any for herself."

"Pansy Parkinson?" Neville gulped, almost choking on his milk. He hugged Trevor tightly against his chest and Draco scowled. Hermione ignored Draco. "She tried to steal Trevor when I dropped him in the park, remember?"

"Neville, you're nine years old," said Draco, exasperated, "Why are you still carrying that bloody teddy around? No wonder she laughed at you so hard."

"Hush, Draco," Mrs. Malfoy cut in, she patted Neville who was looking more and more nervous, "You alone did not stop wearing diapers until you were four. Do not speak to your brother that way."

Draco blushed with fury but he remained silent for the rest of breakfast. Mrs. Malfoy sighed and took the peace to think. At first she did not know, but after much thought she remembered back into her childhood where there were stories of a great Harry Potter that defeated a Dark Lord at the mere age of one. There were odd stories of him with creatures like centaurs and mermaids. He belonged to a world of magic and castles. She had believed in him at that time, but as she grew up she began to forget and doubt such a person existed anymore.

"He would have grown old by now," she said to Hermione after telling her the stories.

"Oh no, he isn't grown up," Hermione assured her with all the confidence in the world, "He is about the same size as me, if not smaller."

Neville said Harry was fourteen and told them the pretty Ginny had told him.

Draco huffed in frustration at the fact that Harry did not bother to talk to him at all.

Aunt Bellatrix arrived at the Malfoy residence in Little Whinging, Surrey just after breakfast. She gave all three children a wet kiss and a mischievous smile. Mrs. Malfoy offered her dark-haired sister breakfast and she took it graciously, complimenting Mrs. Malfoy's cooking.

When breakfast was over, the Malfoys and Aunt Bella gathered around in the living room. Neville sat on the piano bench, sucking his thumb and dangling his legs. He was slightly frightened of his aunt who looked unkept with her frizzy hair and crazed with dark eyes and startling laugh. It was times like these that Neville would almost suck his thumb off.

"So how is Rodolphus?" Lucius inquired. "I heard he has been doing quite well in his business."

Aunt Bellatrix cackled and threw her head back. "I hardly talk to the man. He is always so busy that when he comes home, it is like an intruder just walked in. Sometimes I even forget what he looks like!"

Mrs. Malfoy smiled forcibly, wondering what kind of effect this would be taking on Narcissa's children, if she were to have any.

"He must be a very hardworking man then, Bella," Mrs. Malfoy filled in. Bellatrix only cackled some more.

"That's why I never want to grow up," Draco explained, earning him another raised eyebrow from his father. "You never have time to play. It's always work, work, work!"

"Ah, child, then you should find a way to fly to Neverland," Aunt Bellatrix said. Her eyes glowed with mischief and Neville shivered. Hermione looked up from the book her aunt had given her. "I'm sure that Potter boy would love to have a new friend, isn't that right 'Cissa, dear?"

"Bellatrix, please," Mrs. Malfoy pleaded. She did not want anymore anything to do with Harry Potter and Neverland.

"You know Harry Potter too, Aunt Bella?" asked Hermione, so excited she was almost off her seat.

"Oh yes, I see you've heard!" Bellatrix smiled wider. Mr. Malfoy made a inclining sound in his throat but observed. "Your mother has met Harry Potter and even flew with him to Neverland. I wouldn't know anything more because I wasn't invited."

"Mother! You went?" Draco exclaimed. "How come you're old then?"

Hermione ignored Draco once more, "I thought you only heard stories?"

Mrs. Malfoy shared a glance with Mr. Malfoy and answered, "They are only stories. Aunt Bella is only speaking nonsense to entertain you."

Hermione and Draco did not believe her. Neville, as much as he loved his mother, knew his mother lied sometimes.

"Well, Hermione, dear, if you ever see Potter, you had better insist that he let you fly away with him," Aunt Bella said, smiling sickly sweet. "You are growing into a woman. And is that a dimple I see on the left of your cheek?"

Hermione touched her cheek and Mr. Malfoy reached out to see. His lips pressed into a firm line and confusion marked his face.

"A kiss mark, it is." Bellatrix explained. "Lucius, you have a lovely lady growing by your side. You must keep an eye on this one and find potential candidates!"

Mr. Malfoy looked grim and examined his daughter as if for the first time. "Certainly you are only joking. Hermione is much too young and too devoted to learning."

Hermione on the other hand was blushing, looking guilty and their mother had her worried stance again. Draco wondered why Hermione suddenly had a kiss mark and why it was there.

"She is much to old to be sleeping in the same room with the boys," said Aunt Bellatrix. "She is almost sixteen and things have already happened that are making our dear Hermione into a woman."

"Perhaps you are right," Mr. Malfoy said reluctantly. He looked slightly shocked as if he had not noticed what should have been noticed. Hermione was blushing as red as ever and she excused herself to the toilet. He took a glance at Neville who was now leaning at his side, putting on the hat on Trevor Bellatrix had given him. "Neville, stop sucking your thumb. You are nine years old. Growing boys do not do such childish things. And put down that awful teddy bear."

Neville's eyes glistened with tears but he held them back as Aunt Bella snickered. He wiped his wet thumb on the front of his trousers and looked lost, before setting Trevor beside him. Mr. Malfoy looked regretful but he only stood without another glance at poor Neville and offered Bellatrix more tea. She declined and asked for some wine.

Mrs. Malfoy was helpless as she agreed in some degree with her husband but she couldn't bear the fact that her Neville had to grow up. Draco, however, was furious.

The grown-ups spoke more after Mr. Malfoy returned. They excused the boys to their activities of the day and Neville sadly left his teddy on the couch. Draco grabbed it anyways and gave it back to his brother. Neville's thumb instantly was back in his mouth.

Draco swore that moment that he never wanted to grow up if it meant giving up all his toys and the fun in the world. When the boys arrived in their room, Hermione was in front of the mirror, fingering her hair and looking intently at herself. She jumped, startled at the appearance of her brothers.

Neville walked up to the mirror beside Hermione while Draco plopped on the ground and began scribbling on a scrap piece of paper. It was a piece of his old homework and he didn't like it, so he set on making it incoherent.

"What's a kiss mark, Hermione?" Neville asked, looking up at her left cheek. Hermione blushed again walked to her desk near the window.

"It's only a saying," she said, "Besides, a lot of children are born with dimples. Seamus Finnigan has one on each side of his cheeks."

Neville still looked confused and poked at his cheeks in the mirror.

"It's just some romantic bollocks someone made up," Draco explained, finishing a boy's hair in his picture, "Just means 'Mione is turning into a _woman_ and fancies some bloke. Eck."

Hermione was quick to stand up and blush a red that even a red canary would be most jealous of. She did not say more because she could not deny it nor did she want to argue with Draco. Neville only smiled and asked who the boy was.

"No one," she replied, sticking her nose in a book.

"I bet she fancies Harry Potter," Draco said distastefully. He added some green to his picture. "The famous magician."

"He's a wizard, Draco," Hermione corrected and changed the subject, "Do you think mother went to Neverland and _flew_ with Harry?"

Draco shrugged. He felt his picture was missing something. But he wrote the initials 'HP' on it anyways and quickly stashed it underneath a pile of clothes to hide away. He didn't want anyone to see his drawing.

"Well, none of this really makes much sense," Hermione stated uncertainly. "Why would she lie about going to Neverland?"

"Maybe she's so old," Draco said, "that she forgot."

"I wish I could go visit Neverland," Neville spoke. He had a thumb in between a wondrous grin. "Do you have to fly there? I might not be very good at it."

"Aunt Bella said mother flew with Harry to Neverland," Hermione said, "But I could ask him when he comes to visit tonight. Don't worry, Neville. I'm sure you'll be fine. Maybe we can even go with him! Oh, how amazing that would be!"

That night, when Dobby was busy getting Neville in his bath which the boy was awfully reluctant about, Draco snuck down the stairs and into the kitchens. He was able to brew himself a cup of coffee before throwing it all out, cringing at its bitterness. He settled on drinking three glasses of sugary juice and hoped it was enough to keep him awake. Draco was determined to talk to Harry Potter tonight.

As he tiptoed past the living room, Draco saw his mother and father huddled in front of the fire. Mrs. Malfoy looked incredibly small beside Mr. Malfoy's big stature. He had an arm around her shoulder and the other grasping the fire tongs. They were whispering in hushed voices but Draco could hear most of it.

"Leave them alone," Mr. Malfoy was saying, smiling, "it is just some nonsense Dobby has been putting into their heads."

"I assure you, this is much more serious than you imagine it," Mrs. Malfoy argued. She lifted her head off of Mr. Malfoy's shoulder and looked up at him with all the seriousness she could muster. "I'm not sure what Bella will do next. She is rather unpredictable and I don't want her giving them anymore ideas."

""Cissa, pet," said Mr. Malfoy, "They are only imagining things; only playing pretend."

"It is not pretend!" she cried with flushed angry cheeks, "Hermione would never go this far with a game of _pretend_."

Little did Mr. Malfoy know, but Mrs. Malfoy was very afraid. She was not only worried like he thought, but scared to death. She did not want to lose her children to Harry Potter and to the world of Neverland. Mrs. Malfoy knew much more than she let on. The only reason she did speak of what she knew was because she didn't believe it herself. It confused her to no end.

To be young and to believe was one of the things she left behind as she entered adulthood, knowing that the world outside of being a child was much more complicated.

Draco went back to his room with even more determination. He was going to keep Harry Potter inside the house and he was going to make his father believe and his mother tell the truth. And then maybe they will let him fly to Neverland and live there forever.

It was wishful thinking as Draco lay in bed, blinking more than usual and trying to brush off the sands of slumber. He shut his eyes several times but only to jolt awake, scared that he would sleep. Draco was once again drifting off to a cool breeze and the soft rustle of footsteps when he forced his eyes to open and his mind to wake.

There, at the foot of his bed, stood a boy with illuminated green eyes and the twinkle of lights beside him. Draco smiled a brilliant smile and he made to sit up.

"Hullo," Draco said.

The boy looked startled as Draco swung his legs out of his covers and stepped carefully off the bed. Harry took a step back and a startling squeak sounded from under his foot.

And as if Dobby was awake the whole time, he sprang out his doghouse and growled at Harry, who leapt lightly away from the provoking dog. Draco tried to get a hold of the nurse but he was not quick enough as Dobby flung forward and tackled the flying boy.

Harry managed to escape and raced behind the tinkling ball of light towards the window. Right at the moment his toes left the window frame, Draco closed it and watched as a black ribbon snapped off of Harry's feet and sprang back hard against the glass.

Draco stared at the black thing that followed the curves and angles of the house outside the window. He followed it to find it bitten in Dobby's mouth, which proved to be the boy's shadow. It seemed when Draco shut the window, Harry was able to escape but his shadow had not had time to get out.

Draco managed to wrestle the shadow out of Dobby's teeth only to have it fly away and disappear into the dark. He made to go after it but the door flew open to reveal a sleepy Mrs. Malfoy and a disgruntled Mr. Malfoy. Aunt Bellatrix stood off to the side with an amused grin on her face.

"What has happened in here?" asked Mr. Malfoy sternly, his lips in a grim line. His eyes fell upon Dobby who stepped on one of Neville's rubber squeaking toys. It made a deflating sound at the dogs weight and if Draco was watching closely instead of taking in the disastrous surroundings of their room, he would have seen his father's nostrils flaring in and out. "Did you do this, Dobby?"

Draco could see some of Hermione's books in a heap and a lamp that fell off Neville's drawer. He could also see that their puzzle that they had spent many hours on, broken apart and its pieces scattered on the ground below. Hermione and Neville were both awake, surprised faces identical to Draco's.

"Draco, what happened?" Mrs. Malfoy asked, already on the process of picking up loose leaf papers and misplaced toys.

But before Draco could utter a word, Mr. Malfoy had already began. "I don't know what was going on in here, but this is unacceptable. I do not tolerate destruction and chaos in the middle of the night! It is disrespectful to guests in the house like Aunt Bellatrix and also to sleeping neighbours."

He stalked over to Dobby and roughly grabbed him by the collar, earning Mr. Malfoy a pitiful whine. "Come, Dobby!" he tugged hard and kicked at Dobby's shaggy body. "It was never a good idea to keep such a foul creature near my sons and daughter. You will be sleeping outside from now on and I never want you to set a foot inside this house again! I don't care if you freeze to death in the snow!"

"But he didn't do it!" Draco cried out while Hermione rushed to Dobby's side. Mrs. Malfoy had a hand on her husband's arm, gently coaxing him to let go of Dobby but he ignored her. Hermione was begging to Mr. Malfoy to listen to Draco.

"Then, pray tell, who did?" asked Mr. Malfoy. He did not take kindly to destroyed property and Dobby for certain. Mr. Malfoy often berated Dobby on his every action, finding flaw in the nurse without fail. He always found an excuse to convince everyone that the dog was trying to ruin Mr. Malfoy in one way or another.

"The shadow!" Draco said but only received raised eyebrows and grim looks from his parents. "Harry's shadow! You see, Dobby was only trying to catch Harry but he flew away and Dobby caught his shadow instead. If you would only turn off the lights, you'd see Harry's shadow in the moonlight."

Mr. Malfoy's expression turned into a sober one. He turned his head towards the door and lead Dobby along with him. Hermione tried to pry her father's hands off but he easily shook her off. Aunt Bellatrix only snickered, murmuring something that made Mrs. Malfoy uncomfortable. Neville had begun to cry, clearly frightened in his state of between sleep and wake. Draco was repeatedly trying to convince his father of his story.

"Enough!" Mr. Malfoy yelled and everything fell silent, even Neville's thumb sucking stopped. "That's it. No more of this Harry Potter. This has gone too far. I do not want to hear his name or his stories in this house. I forbid you to think such childish things."

Mr. Malfoy and Aunt Bellatrix both descended downstairs with a sad Dobby in tow. Mrs. Malfoy looked regretful but at the same time relieved. She tucked her three children in bed again and asked for them to behave in the morning. Draco asked his mother if he believed him, that Dobby wasn't to blame for and it was Harry's shadow that caused all the chaos. Mrs. Malfoy only hushed him and told him to sleep. She left the room after giving each of them a kiss and telling Hermione she would make sure Dobby would be warm during what little night there was left.

"You believe me, don't you Hermione? Neville?" Draco asked when his mother closed the door.

"Draco, just sleep," Hermione said, clearly still crying.

"Neville, you believe me right? Harry's shadow is in here somewhere. You saw him!" Draco asked but Neville was already asleep.

"Just stop it, Draco, stop it," cried Hermione, "Dobby is sleeping outside now and he is probably going to catch a horrible cold!Oh, what if father throws him out into the street? He'll surely die then!"

"You don't believe me," Draco said, throwing his covers aside and marching to Hermione's bedside. Her face was glistening with tears and her eyes puffy from tiredness. "You're the one who boasts about speaking to Harry every night and I was just trying to talk to him myself! I can't believe you don't believe me!"

"I never said I didn't believe you," Hermione said sharply, tears almost forgotten. "I just don't think we should talk about this anymore. I agree with father, this has gone too far. It's upsetting both mother and father. Oh, Draco, it's..it's all your fault that Dobby–"

Hermione stopped mid-sentence, rethinking what she was saying. Draco huffed and stood up to his full height.

"Fine," he said. "It's going to be your fault when you find out you missed your only chance to fly to Neverland with your stupid Potter boyfriend."

"Draco," said Hermione, getting up, "I'm sorry. I know it wasn't your fault–"

"Shut up, you filthy little _bitch_."

And with that Draco went back to bed, his mind burning with anger and contempt against Hermione and his father. He blamed Harry for leaving his shadow to cause trouble and hoped that the Potter boy missed his shadow. It would show Potter what it meant. Before Draco fell asleep, he listened to his sister's sorrowful cries and only felt a tinge of guilt welling inside his chest.

* * *


End file.
